Gate valve

ABSTRACT

A water cooled gate valve for use with high temperature materials. The valve includes a valve body having a material flow passage therethrough. A housing surrounds and is spaced from the valve body and defines with the valve body a chamber. Cooling fluid such as water is circulated in this chamber. The gate of the valve is hollow and is provided with an arrangement for circulating cooling fluid therein. The valve may be used in pairs in conjunction with a gas-solids separator such as a cyclone separator.

United States Patent [191 Kramer 1 Apr. 3, 1973 [54] GATE VALVE [7 5]Inventor: Walter W. Kramer, Allentown, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Fuller Company, Catasauqua, Pa. 22 Filed: July 6, 1970 I211 Appl. No.: 52,315

[52] U.S. Cl ..l37/340 [51] Int. Cl ..Fl6k 49/00 [58] Field of Search..25 1/329; 137/340; 55/432, 433

[56] References Cited 9 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,056,552 3/1913 Jorgensen..55/432 X 1,301,372 4/1919 Briggs ..55/433 X 2,925,177 2/1960 Troland..209/2l1 3,292,654 12/1966 Rappold et al. ..137/340 327,548 10/1885Hartman ...l37/340 X 541,990 7/1895 Christie ..l37/340 1,031,539 7/1912Donovan ..137/340 3,447,222 6/1969 Bunch et a1 ..25l/329 X FOREIGNPATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 76,049 7/1894 Germany ..137/340 429,028 5/1935Great Britain ..55/433 Primary Examiner-l-lenry T. KlinksiekAttorneyJack L. Prather and Frank H. Thomson [57] ABSTRACT A watercooled gate valve for use with high temperature materials. The valveincludes a valve body having a material flow passage therethrough. Ahousing surrounds and is spaced from the valve body and defines with thevalve body a chamber. Cooling fluid such as water is circulated in thischamber. The gate of the valve is' hollow and is provided with anarrangement for circulating cooling fluid therein. The valve may be usedin pairs in conjunction with a gas-solids separator such as a cycloneseparator.

8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PMENIEmPRs 1975 3.724490 SHEET 1 BF 2INVENTOR WALTER W. KRAMER f y i723 ATTORNEY Pmmgmmzs 1915 3. 724,490

FIG. 7

INV ENTOR J WALTER W KRAMER A ATTORNEY GATE VALVE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION The present invention relates to gate valves and in particularto a gate valve which is designed for use in controlling the flow ofhigh temperature material, on the order of 2500F.

Prior to the present invention, gate valves which included a gateintersecting a longitudinal flow path through the valve were generallyknow. It has been found that these gate valves and many other types ofvalves have not been suitable when working with high temperaturematerials. With convention valves and particularly conventional gatevalves, when the valve is used for controlling the flow of hightemperature material, the high temperature adversely affects theoperation and sealing ability of the valve and very often destroys thevalve. Merely using a valve constructed of material which is capable ofwithstanding high temperatures is not always satisfactory. It would bedesirable to provide acooled valve and the present invention hassatisfied that desire.

The present invention was originally designed for use with cycloneseparators. In cyclone separators, gas to be cleaned tangentially entersa housing and centrifugal force causes the particulate matter to flowdownwardly towards a product outlet. Cleaned gas flows upwardly throughthe center of the housing towards a cleaned gas outlet. In order toinsure proper operations of the separator, it is essential that a sealbe formed between the bottom product discharge outlet and atmosphere. Ifthis seal is broken, the dirty gas will flow from the inlet directly tothe solids discharge and separation will not take place. It is'commonpractice with separators of this type to provide a pair of cooperatingswing gate SUMMARY It is, therefore, the principal object of thisinvention to provide a gate valve which is cooled so that it is capableof controlling the flow regardless of high temperature material beingcontrolled.

It is afurther object of this invention to provide a cooled gate valveassembly wherein boththe valve body and the valve gate are cooled sothat the valve is capable of handling very high temperature material.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a gate valveassembly which is adapted to be used in conjunction with a cycloneseparator and capable of handling a high temperature material.

In general, the foregoing and other objects will be carried out byproviding a gate valve comprising a valve body having a flow passagetherethrough; a hollow casing surrounding sa'idcvalve body and spacedfrom said valve body to define with said valve body a chamber; means forsupplying a fluid to said chamber for controlling the temperature ofsaid valve body; means defining a radially extending slot in said valvebody and casing which intersects the flow passage through said valvebody; hollow gate means movably mounted in said slot for closing saidflow passage; means for supplying fluid to the inside of said gate meansfor controlling the temperature of the gate means; and means for movingsaid gate within said slot.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THEDRAWINGS The invention will be described inconnection with the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a generally diagrammatic view of the gate valve of the presentinvention as it is used with a cyclone separator;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view, partly in section, of the gate valveassembly of the present invention as it would be used with a cycloneseparator;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIG. 2 in thedirection of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view, partly in section, of the gate ofthe present invention;

FIG. S-is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of FIG. 2; and

FIGS. 6 and 7 are sectional views taken on the lines 66 and 7--7,respectively, of FIG. 5, on a smaller scale.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Although the invention will bedescribed as it would .be used with a cyclone separator, it should beunderstood that the invention may be used wherever it is desired toprovide a gate valve for handling materials of extreme temperatures,either high. or low. Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a cyclone.separator l of a wellknown configuration which includes a tangentialinlet 2 for gas to be cleaned, a cleaned gas outlet 3 and a productoutlet 4. The gate valve assembly .of the present invention is generallyindicated at 6 and mounted in the product discharge 4 of the cyclone 1.

Referring to FIGS. 2 to 7, the gate valve assembly of the presentinvention will be described. The gate valve assembly 6 comprises a pairof gate valves generally indicated at 8 and 10. Each of the gate valvesis substantially the same in construction and operation and like partswill be designated by like numerals. However, the gate valve 10, closestto the discharge 4 of the cyclone 1, is provided with a tapered valvebody conduit 12.

Each gate valve includes a valve body 14 which defines a flow passage 16for material. The valve body 14 includes a first cylindrical member 18and a second cylindrical member 19 coaxially aligned with the firstmember 18 and having a diameter larger than the first cylindrical member18. A plate member20, bestshown in FIG. 6, having a circular cutout 22is mounted on second cylindrical member 19 to connect member l 9 tomember 18 and further define flow passage 16.

The valve body 14 is surrounded by a casing 24 which is spaced from thevalve body 14 to define a chamber 26. A bottom flange 27 having anopening 28 is secured to the casing 24 and second cylindrical member 19to close the bottom of the chamber 26, and an upper flange 29 having anopening 30 is secured to the top of the casing 24 and first cylindricalmember 18 to close the top of the chamber 26. The flange 29 of valve 10may be used to secure the valve assembly 6 to the cyclone l and theflange 27a of valve 8 may be used to secure a conduit to the valveassembly 6. The valves 8 and 10 are secured to each other through theflange 27 of valve 10 and flange 29a of valve 8 and suitable fasteners(not shown).

Cooling fluid such as water is supplied to the chamber 26 by means of aninlet pipe 64 and an outlet pipe 66. The inlet pipe 64 has a diameterlarger than the outlet pipe 66. Communication is provided between theupper valve 10 and the lower valve 8 by means of a coupling 68. Theinlet conduit 64 has a diameter larger than the diameter of the outlet66 to insure complete filling of cooling liquid and elimination of airpockets in chamber 26.

Each gate valve 8 and 10 is provided with a slot which extends throughthe valve body 14 and casing 24 transverse to the flow passage 16 and ishereinafter referred to as means defining a radially extending slotthrough the valve body 14 and casing 24. This means includes the plate20 which extends radially beyond the casing wall 24, a bottom plate 32,best shown in FIG. 7, which extends from second cylindrical member 19radially through casing wall 24, and side plates 34 and 36 which extendfrom approximately the center line of the flow passage 16 of valve 10.The flange 27a and 29a of valve 8 are similar to flanges 27 and 29,respectively, of valve 10 radially outwardly through the casing 24. Thewalls 20, 32, 34 and 36 insure that water circulating in chamber 26 doesnot mix with the material in flow passage 16 or leave the chamber 26through the slot.

A gate generally indicated at 40 is slideably mounted in the meansdefining a slot between a position which closes the flow passage 16 andopens this flow passage. The gate includes a U-shaped side wall 42having legs 42a and a curved base 43. An end plate 44 closes the ends ofthe U-shaped side wall 42. A top plate 45 and a bottom plate 46 closethe gate to thereby define a hollow gate. A partition 47 is provided onthe inside of the gate 40 and extends from the end plate 44 towards thecurved base 43 but terminates short of the base 43. The partition iswelded to the plates 45 and 46 so that communication between thecompartments on opposite sides of the partition 47 is provided solelythrough the space or passage 47a between the partition 47 and the base43.

Cooling fluid such as water is supplied to the inside of the hollow gate40 by means of an inlet pipe 48 and an outlet pipe 49. The inlet pipe 48has a diameter larger than that of the outlet pipe 49 to insure that thecooling fluid completely fills the cooling chamber within the hollowgate 40. Because the sole communication between the compartments onopposite sides of the partition 47 is near the outer edge of the gate,the entire gate is cooled.

In order to prevent material from leaving the flow passage in the valveassembly through the slot defined by the plates 20, 32, 34 and 36, apacking assembly 75 has been provided. This packing wipes the gate 40each time it is opened or closed.

A suitable A-frame or other support arrangement 50 is secured to thecasing 24 by any suitable means such as welding. A fluid pressureoperated piston-cylinder arrangement 52 is on the support 50 andincludes a pair of fluid supply and exhaust conduits 53 and 54. A

piston 55 is mounted for reciprocal movement in cylinder 52 and hasconnected thereto a piston rod 56. The gate 40 is provided with acoupling member 57 on the end plate 44 and the piston rod 56 is securedto this coupling member. This arrangement-defines means for moving thegate within the slot. When it is desired to close the gate, fluid underpressure is supplied to cylinder 52 through conduit 54 to act on piston55 and move the gate. Fluid in the cylinder on the opposite side ofpiston 55 is exhausted through conduit 53. When it is desired to opengate 40, fluid under pressure is supplied to conduit 53 and fluid on theopposite side of piston 55 is exhausted through conduit 54.

The gate is positioned in the slot so that in the open position, thereis a clearance between the bottom of the first cylindrical member 18 andthe top of the gate. A plurality of wedges 60 are mounted on the secondcylindrical member 19 for engaging a tapered portion 62 on the bottom ofthe gate so that when the gate is closed the wedges 60 will co-act withthe taper 62 to move the gate 40 into engagement with the bottom of thefirst cylindrical member 18 and provide a material seal.

When the valve assembly 6 is used with a cyclone separator, it isnecessary to coordinate the opening and closing of the valves 8 and 10so that one valve does not open until the other is closed. In order tocarry out this function, suitable electrical control apparatus such asmicroswitches may be mounted in a housing 70. The switches are operatedby a rod 73 connected to the piston rod 56. The switches in the housingsmay be interconnected by an electrical line 72 and supplied with powerfrom a suitable service (not shown). The operation of thesemicroswitches control the opening and closing of valves (not shown)which regulate the flow of fluid under pressure to the cylinders 52. The

control system used with the valves of the present invention do not forma part of the present invention.

In operation of the cyclone, dust and other solid material removed fromthe dirty gas will collect on the gate 40 of valve 10. After a certainperiod of time, valve 8 will close. After a time delay, valve 10 willopen and collected solids will drop through the flow passage onto gate40 of valve 8. After a certain length of time, valve 10 will close.After another time delay, the microswitches in housing 70 will causevalve 8 to open and material will be discharged to a suitable conveyor.

From the foregoing, it should be apparent that the objects of thepresent invention have been carried out. A cooled gate valve has beenprovided wherein both the valve body and the valve gate are cooled bymeans of a cooling fluid such as water. The arrangement insures that thecooling fluid will not mix with the product and that neither the coolingfluid nor the product will escape the valve. The valve is particularlyuseful with cyclone separators because the cooling of the valves insuresa proper seal to insure proper operation of the separator. It isintended that the foregoing be merely that of a preferred embodiment andthat the invention be limited solely by that which is within the scopeof the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A gate valve comprising:

a valve body having a flow passage therethrough;

a hollow casing surrounding said valve body and spaced from said valvebody to define with said valve body a chamber;

means connected to said casing for supplying a fluid to said chamber forcontrolling the temperature of said valve body;

means defining a radially extending slot in said valve body and casingwhich intersects the flow passage through said valve body;

hollow gate means movably mounted in said slot for closing said flowpassage;

means connected to said gate means for supplying fluid to the inside ofsaid gate means for controlling the temperature of the gate means; and

means connected to said gate means for moving said gate within saidslot;

said means defining a radially extending slot includes wall meansextending between said valve body and said casing for preventing thefluid for controlling the temperature of the valve body from escapingfrom said chamber through said slot while permitting the fluid tocompletely surround said slot;

said valve body including a first cylindrical member and a secondcylindrical member coaxially aligned with and having a diameter largerthan the diameter of said first cylindrical member, and a plate memberconnecting said first and second cylindrical members which fonns part ofsaid wall means.

2. The gate valve of claim 1 wherein said hollow gate means includesU-shaped side wall having a pair of legs and a base interconnecting thelegs at one end, an end plateinterconnecting the legs at the other end,a top wall, a bottom wall, and partition means disposed inside the gatedividing the inside of the gate into at least two compartments anddefining at least one passage minates short of said base to therebydefine a passage flow connecting said chambers.

- 4. The gate valve of claim 3 wherein said means for supplying fluid tosaid gate means includes a first conduit for supplying fluid to one ofsaid compartments and a second conduit for conducting fluid from saidsecond compartment.

5. The gate valve of claim 4 wherein said first conduit has a diameterlarger than said second conduit.

6. The gate valve of claim 3 further comprising a valve seat extendingsubstantially completely around the periphery of said flow passage andwedge means mounted on said second cylindrical member for moving saidgatemeans into contact with said valve seat when said gate is in aposition which closes the flow passage through said valve body.

7. The gate valveof claim 6 wherein said means for supplying fluid tosaid gate means includes first conduit means for conducting fluid to thegate means and second conduit means for conducting fluid from the gatemeans, said first conduit means having a diameter larger than saidsecond conduit means.

8. The gate valve of claim 7 wherein the fluid for controlling thetemperature of the gate means and the fluid for controlling thetemperature of the valve body is a liquid for cooling the gate means andthe valve body, and said means for supplying a fluid to said chamberincludes third condui means for conducting liquid to said chamber andfourth conduit means for conducting liquid from said chamber, said thirdconduit means having a diameter larger than said fourth conduit means. i

1. A gate valve comprising: a valve body having a flow passagetherethrough; a hollow casing surrounding said valve body and spacedfrom said valve body to define with said valve body a chamber; meansconnected to said casing for supplying a fluid to said chamber forcontrolling the temperature of said valve body; means defining aradially extending slot in said valve body and casing which intersectsthe flow passage through said valve body; hollow gate means movablymounted in said slot for closing said flow passage; means connected tosaid gate means for supplying fluid to the inside of said gate means forcontrolling the temperature of the gate means; and means connected tosaid gate means for moving said gate within said slot; said meansdefining a radially extending slot includes wall means extending betweensaid valve body and said casing for preventing the fluid for controllingthe temperature of the valve body from escaping from said chamberthrough said slot while permitting the fluid to completely surround saidslot; said valve body including a first cylindrical member and a secondcylindrical member coaxially aligned with and having a diameter largerthan the diameter of said first cylindrical member, and a plate memberconnecting said first and second cylindrical members which forms part ofsaid wall means.
 2. The gate valve of claim 1 wherein said hollow gatemeans includes U-shaped side wall having a pair of legs and a baseinterconnecting the legs at one end, an end plate interconnecting thelegs at the other end, a top wall, a bottom wall, and partition meansdisposed inside the gate dividing the inside of the gate into at leasttwo compartments and defining at least one passage flow connecting saidcompartments.
 3. The gate valve of claim 2 wHerein said partitionextends from said end plate toward said base and terminates short ofsaid base to thereby define a passage flow connecting said chambers. 4.The gate valve of claim 3 wherein said means for supplying fluid to saidgate means includes a first conduit for supplying fluid to one of saidcompartments and a second conduit for conducting fluid from said secondcompartment.
 5. The gate valve of claim 4 wherein said first conduit hasa diameter larger than said second conduit.
 6. The gate valve of claim 3further comprising a valve seat extending substantially completelyaround the periphery of said flow passage and wedge means mounted onsaid second cylindrical member for moving said gate means into contactwith said valve seat when said gate is in a position which closes theflow passage through said valve body.
 7. The gate valve of claim 6wherein said means for supplying fluid to said gate means includes firstconduit means for conducting fluid to the gate means and second conduitmeans for conducting fluid from the gate means, said first conduit meanshaving a diameter larger than said second conduit means.
 8. The gatevalve of claim 7 wherein the fluid for controlling the temperature ofthe gate means and the fluid for controlling the temperature of thevalve body is a liquid for cooling the gate means and the valve body,and said means for supplying a fluid to said chamber includes thirdconduit means for conducting liquid to said chamber and fourth conduitmeans for conducting liquid from said chamber, said third conduit meanshaving a diameter larger than said fourth conduit means.